Apple has invented a method for reselling software like digital books and apps from an online store. Basically, it’s buying Angry Birds today and selling it to a friend tomorrow, at a discount.

The patent application is vast (no surprise there), but the gist of it is that an iTunes customer could one day buy a digital book, a song, or an app, and when he/she gets bored of it, they could just resell it to someone else.

The publisher would get a new cut (like a commission), and the seller would obviously fetch a halved price for the IP, but it’s still a pretty good deal, considering the alternative (piracy).

Of course, with this method I can already see some issues involving unauthorized distribution of certain software goods, and even a new type of piracy emerging based on new loopholes in the legislation.

But hey, right now it’s just a though. And a patent is always a good first step towards getting the show on the road.